Piatek completes AC Milan move after Higuain joins Chelsea

23 Jan 2019

Milan (AFP) – Genoa’s Polish international striker Krzysztof Piatek signed a four-and-a-half year deal with AC Milan, the Serie A club said on Wednesday, shortly after Argentine Gonazlo Higuain’s six-month loan move to Chelsea was confirmed.

The Italian club said the 23-year-old Piatek had penned a deal until June 30, 2023 after undergoing a medical and would be officially unveiled on Thursday before training with his new teammates.

No financial details were revealed but according to media reports in Italy the deal for the promising Pole is worth 35 million euros ($40 million).

Piatek signed a four-year contract with Genoa last summer from Polish club Cracovia for four million euros, and has scored 19 goals in all competitions for the north western side.

He scored four goals — including a hat-trick in the opening 19 minutes — on his debut in a 4–0 Coppa Italia win over Lecce.

He has 13 goals in Serie A, one fewer than Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo.

At the same time both Chelsea and Juventus announced that 31-year-old Higuain would be moving to the London club.

Higuain moved to AC Milan on loan from Juventus last summer, but the former Real Madrid and Napoli forward failed to settle into his new club.

Milan had paid 18 million euros ($20.75 million) to sign him on loan, with a clause to make the deal permanent for a further 36 million euros.

He has scored six league goals this campaign but wanted to link up again with former Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea.

Higuain scored a Serie A record of 36 goals for Napoli in the 2015-2016 season.

Juventus said in a statement that Higuain’s transfer to Chelsea included an option for a loan until June 2020 for 18 million euros or to buy for 36 million euros.

Milan, playing without Higuain, returned to fourth in Serie A on Monday with a 2-0 win over Genoa, who are in 14th position and played without the suspended Piatek.